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DEL.ICIO.USAt least for today, the Senate says gun bill too hot to touch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Without objection, the Senate late Tuesday passed on the opportunity to engage in a debate over a controversial gun bill — even as Americans were still digesting the scope of the massacre at Virginia Tech.
The bill, heavily backed by the powerful National Rifle Association, would permit employees to keep guns in their cars parked on corporate lots, and would have allowed many gun owners to conceal their weapons under the seat, or elsewhere in the vehicle.
On a motion from Senate Rules Chairman Don Balfour (R-Snellville), H.B. 89 was moved to obscurity at the bottom of a lengthy calendar — with no chance of reaching it before the chamber adjourned for the night.
“A lot of us don’t believe that a day after the gun shooting at Virginia Tech, the massacre of 30-some students, that it would be appropriate to be taking up really any gun bill right now,” Balfour told reporters immediately afterwards. “I think we need to be sensitive to the loss of those folks. Two of those folks are from Georgia.
“The law-abiding gun owner knows that today isn’t the day to bring a gun bill to the floor,” the rules chairman said.
Whether or not to address the bill had prompted a furious argument within the Senate Republican caucus that started before the chamber was gaveled into session this morning. Many were fearful of how the public would view an extended debate — with members holding up fresh copies of today’s newspapers.
Even without Monday’s incident at Virginia Tech, the gun bill had sparked a struggle among Republicans — many of whom think the bill infringes on the private property rights of employers.
But Republican lawmakers are also wary of the NRA’s mailing list, and its willingness to spend money to defeat elected officials who oppose it. Randy Kozuch, director of the NRA’s state legislative operation, flew in from Washington from the vote, and watched from the vacant office of a state senator.
The bill was placed on Tuesday’s calendar at the request of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who has brokered a watered-down version of the legislation — although the measure is still opposed by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
The Legislature is not in session Wednesday. But we’re told that Cagle wants to see H.B. 89 placed back on the calendar for Thursday’s session — the last day it can be considered before the Legislature goes home.
But Balfour hinted that Cagle could face a revolt among members of his caucus should the lieutenant governor press the issue. “Obviously he’s the lieutenant governor,” Balfour said. “We’ll have to look at his wishes. But I think the jury’s out.”
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